Toy Jewelry

Lead Recalls

Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website to see product recalls related to lead and other hazards: http://www.cpsc.gov/

If swallowed or put in the mouth, lead jewelry is hazardous to children. In 2003, a 4-year-old child swallowed a piece of jewelry bought from a vending machine. The child became ill because the jewelry was made of lead. The potential for children to be exposed to lead from jewelry led the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue a recall on July 8, 2004, of 150 million pieces of metal toy jewelry sold widely in vending machines.

In 2006, a child died from acute lead poisoning after eating a heart-shaped metallic charm containing lead. The charm had been attached to a metal bracelet provided as a free gift with the purchase of shoes manufactured by Reebok International Ltd. On March 23, 2006, CPSC and Reebok announced a voluntary recall of 300,000 heart-shaped charm bracelets.

What to do if I believe my child has put lead jewelry into his/her mouth
See your health care provider. He or she can perform a blood test to see whether your child has been exposed to lead and, if so, can recommend treatment. Most children with elevated blood lead levels do not have any symptoms. However, there is no safe level of lead in blood. As blood lead levels increase, lead has a larger effect on children’s learning and behavior. A blood lead test is the only way you can tell if your child has an elevated lead level.

Effects of wearing toy jewelry
Just wearing toy jewelry will not cause your child to have a high level of lead in his/her blood. However, small children often put things in their mouth. If you have a small child in your household, make sure the child does not have access to jewelry or other items that may contain lead.

How to get more information about recalls
CPSC asks parents to search their children’s toys for metal jewelry and throw it away. Get photos of the recalled jewelry or more information on recalls from the CPSC website or 1-800-638-2772. CPSC also has a new policy addressing lead in children's metal jewelry.